Motion capture systems obtain data regarding the location and movement of a human or other subject in a physical space, and can use the data as an input to an application in a computing system. Many applications are possible, such as for military, entertainment, sports and medical purposes. For instance, the motion of humans can be mapped to a three-dimensional (3-D) human skeletal model and used to create an animated character or avatar. Motion capture systems can include optical systems, including those using visible and invisible, e.g., infrared, light, which use cameras to detect the presence of a human in a field of view. However, further refinements are needed in tracking a human with higher fidelity. In particular, it is desirable to track a person's hand with a high degree of fidelity.